

Visual World 

Visual literacy is defined as a persons ability to comprehend images and use those images to express ideas, or think through a problem, and or in general discover new concepts. 

Visual Literacy or the use of pictures has been around long before the printed word.

Today we blend both the visual language and the alphabetical language.

Areas of Literacy
BASIC SKILLS
Students tasks
Resources that support students tasks
WRITING


Composition
(essays, reports, stories, reflections,   
 letters)
Printed word to communicate
Pictures to communicate
Write for a variety of readers
PixWriter
Publishing
(producing multiple drafts, organize ideas, explain ideas, responses, produce writing within time limits.)
Editing
Plan
Sequence
Organize
PixWriter
Mechanics
 (parts of speech, spelling, grammar, capitalization, punctuation, agreement)
Capitalization/punctuation
Word forms
Parts of speech
Spelling
PixWriter
READING


Use of effective reading strategies
(context clues, rereading, phonemic awareness, inferring, comprehension)
Word recognition
Interpret symbols
Apply comprehension strategies
PixWriter
Read and interpret      Fiction/Nonfiction
(recall details, sequence of events           plots, character, use of  comprehension strategies, connections predictions)
Listening to a story
Examining ideas
Use of a variety of literature
Draw conclusions
PixWriter
Read to acquire information
(summarize, background information, being able to use resources, identify key details)

Safety words
Symbol/pictures in environment
Using personal information
Follow instructions
Taking notes
PixWriter





LISTENING
(taking notes, respond to questions in class, turn taking, follow directions, listen to and comprehend oral communications)
Increase vocabulary
Accepting opinion of others
Listening empathetically
Follow oral directions/instructions
Participate in social conversations
Conducting interviews
PixWriter
SPEAKING
( speeches, communicating ideas to different audiences, presentations, participating in discussion, retell stories, recall content)
Effective expressive language to   understand ones needs
Effectively express opinions and feelings
Ask clarifying questions
Participate in social conversation
Conducting interviews
Participate in discussion
PixWriter

Lesson ideas and suggestions:
Students will create a personal dictionary using PixWriter. Dictionaries are printed and students use the words they have created to write sentences on and off the computer. Pictures lend meaning to the words.

Students will use PixWriter to study for spelling test. Students type in their words, see the pictures, and here their words spoken. 

Students will learn basic sentence construction with right to left sequences. Using PixWriter students will produce a 3 word sentence using common sentence starters. Words are presented in a logical order and color coded. As students become more proficient, the order and color coding it removed.

Students will learn the difference between singular and plural nouns by creating sentences using a variety of singular and plural noun forms.

Students will learn how to expand their sentences. Using PixWriter students will use adjectives to create sentences.

Students will learn to edit their work before turning it in. Students will use PixWriter to listen to sentences and decide it the sentence is a good one or not. Students will learn to insert the words good or bad into a sentence. Sentences become more complex as the student learns to listen to their work. Students will learn to use this skill to edit their own work. 

Students will use the PixWriter program to have directions read to them to increase understanding or written directions.

Students will increase their knowledge of current events by using PixWriter to create a newspaper story.

Students will use PixWriter to answer test questions, thus removing the spelling component and the keyboarding issues. 

Students will use PixWriter to comprehension questions about a story, thus removing the spelling component and the keyboarding issues. 

Using a Smart Board, in conjunction with PixWriter, students will learn the basic setup for a friendly letter. 

Using a Smart Board, in conjunction with PixWriter, students will learn to communicate ideas, thoughts and ask questions. 







Kwhite 	Closing the Gap 2007 Presentation
	I see it. I hear it. I understand it!
 

This chart was developed in collaboration with Milton Assistive Technology Academy, CESA 2 Milton WI 2007 

